Salinas Farmworker Dies In Near 100-Degree Heat

SALINAS (CBS/AP) — State workplace safety officials are investigating the death of a farm supervisor who died after passing out on a Salinas Valley farm.

The Monterey County coroner has determined the unidentified 51-year-old man who died on Monday had a heart attack. He was outside in 95-plus-degree weather on a Dole Fresh farm near Soledad when he collapsed.

The state Division of Occupational Safety and Health is investigating whether the death was related to the heat.

At least 14 farmworkers have died of heat-related causes since 2005, when California introduced the first rules in the nation to protect agricultural workers from heat.

Officials are also investigating two other potential heat-related farmworker deaths this summer.

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